Fluorescent hand lamp



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J. 27, 1%. A. D. SOBEL FLUORESCENT HAND LAMB Filed May 8, 146

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WW a m n m n z 7 1U v 3 3 Patented Jan. 27, 1948' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE? 2.435.164- I Alfonse'l). SobeI, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Paramount lndustrleajna, New York, N. Y.

Application May s, 1946, Serlal'No. csaios 4 Claims. (cl. 240 -1055) This invention relates to portable. fluorescent hand lamps and particularly to such lamps of simplified type and improved construction which materially facilitates the assembly process.

Heretofore there have been proposed a number of portable fluorescent hand lamps including self-contained power sources, such as dry batteries. While such lamps have not been entirely unsatisfactory from a performance standpoint, they have left much to be desired in the way of simplicity of construction and ease of assembly. For example, one such lamp comprises a number of unitary sub-assemblies fitted into a compartmented housing, the sub-assemblies being provided .with circuit connectors which register with each other when the several assemblies are properly disposed in the housing. Such a construction is not only costly but requires some care in assembly and, moreover, requires a substantially complete dis-assembly in order to replace the batteries when discharged.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved portable fluorescent hand lamp which obviates one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages of similar devices of the prior art.

It is another object of the invention'to provide a new and improved portable fluorescent hand lamp which is of simplified construction and, therefore, of low cost and which can be readily assembled.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved portable fluorescent hand lamp in which the batteries providing energy for the lamp can be readily replaced without substantial dis-assembly.

In accordance with the invention, a portable fluorescent lamp comprises an elongated open U-shaped wall member having a seating groove extending longitudinally ofeach open edge, top and bottom flanged closure members engaging opposite ends of the wall member and adapted to be secured thereto, and a translucent front member retained in position by the seating grooves and the closure members. The lamp also includesan elongated unitary fluorescent tube support and reflector assembly having longitudinal edges terminating in the grooves and retained in position by the translucent front member and the closuremembers. I

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable lam embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view.

- i Fig 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows.

perspective view of themain bracket This plate flange has two side portions, a back portion and a curved front portion, and the aforesaid is suitably secured to a generally U-shaped member having sides l2 and back l3 with the lower ends nested in the. resulting base well. or positive snap'lock's may be provided.

Rigid with the upper ends of the sides and back as by spot welding'and thelike is the top l5 having downwardly directed integral peripheral flange i6. To this extent the top-and base are complements. 'Accordingly it is preferred that the upper ends of the sides and back be nested in the top.

The top I5, however, is apertured at to accommodate anchors Ill,v such as screws, secured to opposite ends of handle H9. ,The top therebetween is further slotted as at 20, 2! and 22 to pass the insulation finger pieces of the three switches hereinafter to be described, one being a normal on and off master switch, one being a normally open biased starting switch and the other a so-called emergency switch normally biased to non-emergency (in Fig. 5 to open) position.

At the forward edges of sides l2 and preferably substantially coextensive with said edges are means comprising grooves 23, 23. Each of these means comprises a Z sectioned strap with the,

wider portion 24- suitably secured, as by spot welding, to the side l2 and intermediate portion 25 and an offset portion 26. Portion 26 with side 12 forms the said groove 23; If desired the aforesaid may be formed integral with the side by a reverse bend equal in amount to portion 26, then a transverse portion equal to portion 25 and finally a portion equal to portion 26. This being a conventional metal bending equivalent, illustration of same is believed unnecessary.

Seatable in thetwo parallel-grooves 23 are the side edges 21 of a reflector having an arcuate crews. I4 may constitute this connection sectioned formation 28. Preferably the side edges are provided with exterior rearwardly directed flanges 29 which constitute resilient elements to prevent rattling of the reflector when groove seated.

A slightly curved or flat sheet of plastic 30 (transparent) has its side edges 3i seated in grooves 23. Its upper and lower ends are nested within the flanges l6 and II respectively and since the edges 3| are groove stopped (confined) this sheet of necessity conforms to the forward curvature of the top and base as defined by said flanges. The sheet 30 being non-metallic and being interposed between the flanges 29 of reflector 28 and the side walls I2, it also serves as a silencing member for the reflector. Conversely, the flanges 29 of reflector 28 maintain the sheet against sides l2 and the upper and lower edgesmf the sheet against the curved portions of the flanges.

The reflector, which can be white enameled, porcelain covered or the like is slit near the top and bottom and centrally as at 32. The resulting end strip 33 is provided with an elongated slot 35 and a wider median notch 35. Screw 35a in aperture 35 mounts the tube terminal socket 31 upon the reflector.

The tube 38 has two terminals 39 and 40 at each end and connected to a filament 43 in said tube which contains a gas that becomes luminescent when heated and a current conductor. The two terminals at opposite ends engage in the terminal sockets 31.

The reflector is further apertured at 4| and 42. Screws 44 therethrough secure to the reflector the U-shaped bracket and support 45. The upper portion 48 has a forward curved edge 45 conforming to the reflector curvature. A pair of spaced cars 41 straddle the adjacent terminal socket and are secured to the reflector by screws 44 seated in apertures 42.

The upper portion 48 of said bracket is slotted at 4 350 and same registering with slots 20, 2t and 22 of the cover. Adiacent the first mentioned slots and in alignment with each are apertures 52 by which the three switches 53, 54 and 55 are mounted upon the bracket by means of screws 56.

The lower portion 51 of the bracket 45 is dual apertured at. The forward edge 59 is similarly curved and an upwardly extending median tongue 50 is arranged for connection to the reflector by screw 6| at aperture 4|.

Screws 62 secure retainer bar 63 to the bracket portion 51 and said screws also mount the laminated closed core 64 of the impedance having winding 65. Two dry cell batteries 68 for supplying energy to the lamp are supported in base H below the bracket 45 and are held in place by retainer bar 63.

In assembling the portable lamp of the invention, the batteries are placed on the base and the assembled reflector and bracket, with tube attached, is applied to the top and integral side and cover. Then the front is applied and snapped in place and the unit lowered into the into the base and fasten the screws I 4.

Thus, there is provided by the invention a portable fluorescent lamp of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and one which is readily assembledand in which the batteries may be readily replaced when discharged without substantial dis-assembly.

The lamp of the invention also includes suitable wiring and connectors, connected in circuit, as shown in Fig. 5 or Fig. 6, but not illustrated physically for the sake of clarity and since they are entirely conventional. For example, in Fig. 5 there is a single series circuit including the batteries 58, the normal stabilizing resistor 66, the starting inductor 54, 65, the lamp filament 43, the normally open starting-switch 55, the lamp filament 43, and the normally closed offswitch 53.

In operation, when the lamp and batteries 68 are new the switch 54 is left open as illustrated, the switch 53 is normally closed, and switch 55 is closed momentarily to heat the lamp filaments 43, 43, each of; these switches being controlled by the respective one of the push buttons 2|. 22. When the lamp filaments are heated, the switch 55 is released and the starting inductor, 55

tends to maintain a constant current and builds up a voltage suificient to cause a discharge between the lamp fllaments 43, 43 in parallel with the switch 55. The lamp then operates normally with the resistor 56 tending to maintain a uniform current flow through the lamp and, therefore, uniform illumination. The lamp is extinguished by opening the switch 53 momentarily and allowing it to reclose, whereupon the lamp circuit is in its initial condition and ready for re-lighting. When the batteries become partially discharged, the switch 54 is operated momentarily simultaneously with the switch 55 connecting the resistor 31 in parallel with the normal resistor 56, thereby lowering the resultant resistance in the lamp circuit and thereby, at least in part, compensating for the lower voltage of the partially discharged battery. In other respects, the operation is similar when the battery is partially discharged.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 the only difference noted therein is that in Fig. 5 resistor 65 is always included in the circuit while resistor 51 is only included therein when switch 54 is closed. In Fig. 6 either resistor 61 or resistor 66 is included in the circuit depending upon which way switch 54 is closed.

Note that if in Fig. 5 resistor 55 be of 300 ohms and resistor 51 be of 300 ohms the circuit includes an efiective resistance of 300 ohms or ohms respectively. In Fig. 6 the circuit includes the normal resistance of 300 ohms and the emergency resistance is of 150 ohms.

Preferably switch54 is spring constrained to open position in Fig. 5 and to high resistance contact inclusion in Fig. 6.

Fig. 5 circuit is preferred over the Fig. 6 circuit for reason that for normal use the so-called booster switch 54 is not in circuit. hence elimihating a variable resistance contact, such variation being due to vibration and shock incident to transporting or carrying or to a dirty switch contact.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail inthe drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as wellas others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art. all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention= reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable fluorescentlamp comprising: an elongated open U-shaped wall member having a seating groove extending longitudinally of each open edge, top and bottom flanged closure members engaging opposite ends of said wall member and adapted to be secured thereto, a translucent front member retained in position by said seating grooves and said closure members, an

elongated unitary fluorescent tube support and reflector assembly having longitudinal edges terminating in said grooves and retained in posihaving longitudinal edges with rearwardly ex-- tending flanges terminating in said grooves and retained in position by said front member and said closure members.

3. A portable fluorescent lamp comprising: an elongated open U-shaped wall member having a seating groove extending longitudinally of each bers engaging opposite ends of said wall member and adapted to be secured thereto, a forwardly convex resilient translucent front member retained in position by said seating grooves and said closure members, an elongated unitary fluorescent tube support and forwardly concave reflector assembly having longitudinal edges terminating in said grooves and retained in position by said front member and said closure members. 7

4. A portable fluorescent lamp comprising: an elongated open U-shaped wall member having a seating groove extending longitudinally of each open edge, top and bottom flanged closure members engaging opposite ends of said wall member and adapted to be secured thereto, a translucent front member retained in position by said seating grooves and said closure members, an elongated unitary fluorescent tube support, said support comprising a reflector assembly having longitudinal edges terminating in said grooves and retained in position by said front member and said closure members, and a switch bracket and control element assembly mounted on said reflector assembly.

ALF ONSE D. SOBEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. open edge, top and bottom flanged closure mem- UNI'IED STATES PATENTS Beck Dec. 31, 1946 

